The Caucasus-2016 exercise is held in Russia’s Southern Military District from September 5 to 10 under the command of Chief of the General Staff

OPUK PROVING GROUND /Crimea/, September 9. /TASS/. More than 120,000 people, both military personnel and civilians, have taken part in The Caucasus-2016 exercise, but no more than 12,500 were engaged simultaneously, the Chief of Russia’s General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, told the media on Friday.

"At various stages of these measures (exercise - TASS) more than 120,000 troops, members of federal ministries and agencies and also specialists of the Central Bank of Russia were involved consecutively, at different periods in the Southern, Central and Western military districts," Gerasimov said.

"In the territory of the Southern Military District no more than 12,500 troops were involved in the exercise at any one time, which does not contradict the Vienna Document," he said.

Gerasimov described the drills as the "culminating point of intensive military training."

"It was a hard test for commanders of all ranks. It put to test all staffs and military control agencies and their ability to coordinate operations by combined forces in theaters of combat operations," Gerasimov said.

The Caucasus-2016 exercise is being held in southern Russia on September 5-10.